Why Do Cats Groom So Much?
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Dr. Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in companion animal practice. In 1987 she graduated from the University of Glasgow, with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She works at Blythwood Vets and the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). Pippa is an advocate of Fear-Free Practice, an animal addict, and a veterinary writer. She is also w...
Veterinarian
UPDATED: Nov 18, 2020
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We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about pet insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything pet insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by pet insurance experts.
UPDATED: Nov 18, 2020
Pet Insurance U receives compensation from the third parties included on this site. This includes payment for clicks from our site to insurance providers’ sites and quote requests generated. Our rankings and reviews are not affected by payments from the insurance companies. The compensation we receive allows the site to be free and regularly updated. Our goal is to review every pet insurance provider, but not all companies are listed on the site.
And many of the companies we review do not pay us anything. We simply rate, compare and review their plan because we feel it will be valuable to you. Our reviews are guaranteed to be unbiased, professional and advertising compensation does not influence rankings.
On This Page
Cat lovers know how our cats are such clean pets because they groom themselves all the time.
Not that we’re complaining.
As it turns out, cats will spend half the day grooming themselves to keep themselves clean.
We absolutely enjoy the benefits, but why do cats groom so often?
Cats learn grooming from birth.
The mother cat instinctively groom their kittens as soon as they are born.
Kittens learn this process and then groom themselves as their mothers have showed them.
When a kitten is born and is one of many in the litter they will groom their kitty litter mates as well.
Or even when simply sitting next to each other…in harmony!
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Reasons Why Your Cat Grooms
To Clean Themselves Thoroughly
Cats will groom daily merely to keep themselves clean.
Their tongue acts as a brush or even a sponge bath to remove some of the dirt.
Cats are among the cleanest pets and their daily grooming regimen is a sign that they are healthy.
To Clean Injuries
Cats will clean themselves to heal or clean any injury that might have occurred.
They can also removed dead skin by licking their fur.
To Prevent Predators From Smelling Them
Cats’ have the incredible ability to smell and they use their scent to attract predators.
Cats are able to find their predators through their scent due to their excellent sense of smell.
Related: 10 Things You Must Know Before You Buy Pet Insurance
A cat, that is roaming in the wild, will groom he kittens to prevent any predator from picking up their smell or scent.
With a thorough grooming, the smell is gone.
To Lubricate Their Own Fur
When a cat decides to groom themselves, they used their tongues to help lubricate their fur.
By licking their fur, it’s another way for them to get rid of flees.
Emotional Grooming
This type of grooming helps a cat feel better emotionally.
Grooming can help calm a kitty that is feeling stressed or even tense.
This type of grooming will help resolve their fearful demeanor and thoughts.
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Temperature Control Grooming
Cats don’t have the ability to sweat and grooming is their instinctive way to help cool off their bodies. It can actually help warm themselves up when it’s cold out.
When a cat licks his or her fur, the follicles will help a cat raise and lower his temperature.
Mutual Grooming Of Other Cats
You probably have seen cats grooming each other which is completely endearing.
This is really more of a social type of grooming.
It really is their way of expressing their love to you or even their love to your other kitty. Or sometimes dog.
Some cats will lick you and that is their way of expressing their love.
If your cat stops grooming, this could be a sign of a health issue and it might be time to take your cat to the vet.
On the other hand, if your cat is excessively grooming and pulling out his or her fur, you should speak with your vet to find out the cause.
For more advice concerning cats, check out our Cat Blog!
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We have worked hard to provide you with all the free resources possible to help give you insight into the best pet insurance for cats, additional cat breeds info, common cat health issues, and a fun look at frequently asked cat questions.
Other Frequently asked cat questions and some unsolicited catty advice…
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Dr. Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS
Veterinarian
Dr Pippa Elliott BVMS, MRCVS is a veterinarian with over 30 years of experience in companion animal practice. In 1987 she graduated from the University of Glasgow, with a degree in veterinary medicine and surgery. She works at Blythwood Vets and the People’s Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA). Pippa is an advocate of Fear-Free Practice, an animal addict, and a veterinary writer. She is also w...
Veterinarian
We are a free online resource for anyone interested in learning more about pet insurance. Our goal is to be an objective, third-party resource for everything pet insurance related. We update our site regularly, and all content is reviewed by pet insurance experts.